my first appointment with nurse today realy shocked me

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traceycat

traceycat

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
well i has my first appointment with the nurse toay. she told me im defantly type 2 but also my cholestorol and blood pressure are both high aswel, i have to go back to see her tomorrow to get my blood pressure checked again an get put on tablets for my cholestorol. shes also going to speak to the doctor this evening about being put on tablets for my diabetes as they didnt write anything down about it an she thinks i should be on metaform or something i think she said. she was brilliant in explaining things to me but im still so confuzed about everything an have no idea what im supossed to eat. im also very scared that im going to have a heart attack or stroke, been crying all day an getting myself all worked up. also was told last week that i have b12 defecancy an have to have injections for the rest of my life. sorry for the rant, just needed to get it of my chest. xxx
 
What where your blood sugar levels (hba1c) can you remember.

It would be metformin - they wanted to put me on that three years ago and I am still diet controlled.
 
hi sandy, she took my hba1 blood today an tried to explain what it was for but i cant realy remember what she said to me, i think the levels come back tomorrow, all i know is my glucose levels were high when i first got tested last week, 9.4 an 10.6 i think.
 
HbA1c is a blood test that gives the average blood sugar levels that you have had over the past 6-12 weeks. My last was 11.8 which is far too high, hopefully my new drugs will help bring it down again. If I could do it without them I would, sadly I don't have that option though.
 
traceycat said:
hi sandy, she took my hba1 blood today an tried to explain what it was for but i cant realy remember what she said to me, i think the levels come back tomorrow, all i know is my glucose levels were high when i first got tested last week, 9.4 an 10.6 i think.
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Mine were around 18 - dont let them railroad you into taking drugs - although you may have to at some point.

D is serious but I would suggest that you are highly unlikely to have any problems if you take a little while to discuss it with your Doctor.
 
Hi there. It's a little scary and I remember my first appointment. My advice is take any advice from your doctor and nurse but also use this forum as the guys on here helped me immensley and I haven't let diabetes control me.

Good luck and I hope everything settles down.
 
Hi Tracey

Like you i was really scared when i was suddenly told that in addition to my new diabetes diagnosis i was suddenly lumbered with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These were things i associated with my elderly grandparents, and like you i was convinced that i was heading for a heart attack before i reach forty. That was about a year ago and i've not had one yet.
First piece of advice, try and get the numbers for your blood pressure, Hba1c (that's a measure of your long term blood sugar) and cholesterol. It can be tricky, i'm usually too bashful to ask for mine but at least then you know what you're up against. One thing to tell you is that the doctor will have a slightly different set of rules by which he treated diabetics to everybody else. These are called the NICE guidelines (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) and are crib sheets for doctors.You can see these for yourself on the internet. Basically there are targets for the three numbers above, and you will be put on tablets if you fall above them. And these numbers are lower for diabetics than they are for the non-diabetic population. You only have to have a slightly elevated level to be classed as needing medication. So don't feel too bad if you do have to take them.

Secondly i'll tell you a bit about the drugs:
Metformin: This is for the diabetes (i'm taking it and i think i need to up my dose...if that's any consolation...). There's not a lot of information on how it works exactly, but it combats insulin resistance by helping the sugars in your blood stream reach your muscles. Think of it as boosting your insulin. The lowest dose i've ever seen in 500mg, but can be anywhere up to 2g. The tablets are a pig to swallow and when you start taking them they give you an upset stomach, but this will reduce in time. If it doesn't you can either ask your doctor to give you the slow release or liquid form or try another anti-diabetic drug. Also taking after meals reduces the stomach upsets.

Statins: These drugs are a family that all combat cholesterol. Cholesterol is a bit of a contraversial subject here, but since i work for the NHS i'll give you the official line....Cholesterol is kind of like a blockage in your sink..it builds up and blocks up your blood vessels causing the blood to slow down. When blood slows down it gets stickier and doesn't work so well. Also when the stuff builds up in your sink, one of two other things can happen, bits break off and get stuck in the pump (ok, the plumbing analogy isn't working here but stick with it) and the pump breaks down, when this is your heart this is bad news. The other thing that happens is that the sink overflows, which is also bad, and as far as your body is concerned it's ever a deep vein thrombosis, embolism or stroke depending on where the blockage and flooding occurs. Enough of the scary stuff already. This may not even be a problem, because some studies say that a little bit of cholesterol is actually good for you and there are no studies that say anything about how well it works in the under 45s. Simvastatin is the most used drug in the family, it's best to take it at night becuase it works better at night and you're less like to be worried by nausea if you get it. The major side effect to watch out for is cramps and muscle pains, if you do get those tell your doctor right away. If simvastatin doesn't agree with you (and it doesn't everyone) you can try Atorvastatin or any of a number of other statins. There are even cholesterol drugs that arn't statins these days.

Blood Pressure
There's a whole host of drugs for blood pressure, but Ramipril seems the most popular (again i'm on this). Lowering blood pressure, again, makes your blood flow faster and be less sticky. Ramipril also protects your kidneys from damage, or so i'm told.

Hba1c: This is a measure of how much sugar is attached to your red blood cells (i think, i'm better at drug questions..🙂) and as Alison says, it gives an average of what your blood sugars have been doing over several weeks. You're aiming for something under 7 or 6.5, i think. When you're first diagnosed your level will be high, because you probably had diabetes for a while without knowing it, so if you've only just found out the good (note irony...) news, then don't worry if it's at 9 or 10. Mine was something like 19...

Hope this helps, it's all very overwhelming and terrifying, i know, but it does get easier, trust me.🙂 Feel free to ask any questions you have on the site, everybody will help if they can.

Rachel

Rachel
 
traceycat said:
well i has my first appointment with the nurse toay. she told me im defantly type 2 but also my cholestorol and blood pressure are both high aswel, i have to go back to see her tomorrow to get my blood pressure checked again an get put on tablets for my cholestorol. shes also going to speak to the doctor this evening about being put on tablets for my diabetes as they didnt write anything down about it an she thinks i should be on metaform or something i think she said. she was brilliant in explaining things to me but im still so confuzed about everything an have no idea what im supossed to eat. im also very scared that im going to have a heart attack or stroke, been crying all day an getting myself all worked up. also was told last week that i have b12 defecancy an have to have injections for the rest of my life. sorry for the rant, just needed to get it of my chest. xxx
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Hi Tracey,
Its better knowing about it now because you can start to get a grip on things.
Type 2, Hypertension and raised cholesterol go together and exacerbate each other.
Metformin is the drug of choice for T2s but currently newly dxed T2s are supposed to be given a trial period on Diet and Exercise before meds are introduced if necessary.
Its your right as a new T2 to go on an education course about diabetes so ask if there is a Desmond or X-Pert patient course in your PCT.

Rachel is right, you should try get hold of all your numbers from the tests and keep them as a baseline for comaprison with your progress.

If you haven't already been directed to it you should read Maggie Davey's Open Letter to Newly Dxed Type 2s. Here's the first papragraph of it ....
?You've had the bad news: you've got diabetes. Now,
here's the good news: you've got diabetes. Of all the
chronic conditions there are, diabetes can be
controlled very effectively, and you can live a pretty
normal life with it. But, you have to work at it,
there's a lot you need to learn, and you've got to
make the decision to take charge and do what's
necessary to control it. Once you have brought your
diabetes under control, you'll find that there are
definite bonuses that go with it: you'll probably be
more fit than you've ever been in your life, you'll
have energy that you maybe thought had gone
forever, and you're likely to be in better mental
shape as well. ?

http://www.sequin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Downloads/openlet.pdf

Food wise you should also read Wallycorkers "My diet" thread in our Food section.
 
Hi Traceycat - you sound like you have been overwhelmed by it all. I think your tears are understandable - you are mourning for the life you had, and are trying to adjust to what is ahead. However, try not to get ahead of yourself over 90% (i think possibly more that 99%) of the things we worry about don't happen. Have you asked the nurse if you can have a regular chat until you feel that you are coping and understand what is happening.
 
Hi Tracey, sorry you have been so upset today. I think it hits us all in different ways 😱
I went straight onto Metformin when diagnosed. The only drawback with Metformin is the stomach upsets and it makes you f@rt quite a bit 😱
If you are given Metf@rtin, I think it is best to gradually add one tablet a week instead of taking the 3 a day that I was prescribed.

Did you get a little booklet today? I got a diabetes folder that all my results are written in each time I see the nurse.
It has things such as height, weight, BG levels, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, waist measurement 😛
I find it useful to refer back to, see how things have improved or got worse over the months.

Try to find out as much about diabetes as you can. Forums are a great place for learning about other peoples experiences. You will gradually learn to manage your own condition, just give it a little time and try not to worry.
 
Hi it is confusing to begin with and all of us here have had very mixed emotions about the whole thing.

Now that you have seen the nurse and have a proper diagnosis you can start treatment. There is loads of advice on this forum about almost everything to do with diabetes, so ask as much and as often as you like.

We all worry about our health, but we all also do things to stay healthy. When I asked about heart attack and stroke, I was told that they were unlikely if I behaved and followed the rules.

I hope having a rant helped, it is good to get things out of our system and is an important step towards getting the help we need.
 
thanks everyone for your replies an support. thanks rachel for explaining it all to me in detail, it has reasured me abit 🙂 im back up with my nurse today to get my blood pressure checked again an to find out what tablets im going on if any. i will ask what my hba1 results were if there back, only got it done yesterday. i will keep everyone posted on how i get on xxx
 
The only advice I will give, is wait before you take drugs, take stock of your levels. Are they controllable by diet and exercise, don't be railroaded by your 'medical' team, be in charge from the off. Get books, learn about diabetes, it's your condition, you manage it. I was told that I needed to take Statins and other drugs. I don't, and I feel that I am in good control of my condition.

A tip on blood pressure...you will experience 'whitecoat' readings, when you visit your doctor/nurse. Either buy your own monitor, and take readings at home, when relaxed. Or before letting them take a reading, relax, shut your eyes, count to twenty, then let them have it......there is a difference, trust me😉
 
good luck today tracy xxx please try not to worry too much we've all been there... had a good cry and rant ...its perfectly normal what is good is you have found this forum for support ....we are here for you hunny xxx
 
thanks dave an am64. the forum is great an im finding out loads of great imformation an support 🙂 xxx
 
traceycat said:
thanks dave an am64. the forum is great an im finding out loads of great imformation an support 🙂 xxx
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Traceycat in my early days of being diagnosed just before Christmas last year, this forum was an absolute bedrock of support and it helped me get through some tough early days. Like you I was upset and angry at first but if it helps things do get better. I'm not so tired in the mornings and because I exercise I've lost weight and a little fitter. It's okay to get angry, I did but then I decided that I wouldn't let diabetes get the better of me.
 
hi faceman thanks for the reply. i think its knowing that i will never be able to have things like i did before like having a pk of crisps or treating myself to a chinese meal or having a drink etc cause i know now that if i do my levels will be high, ive been trying so hard over the past couple of days to eat healthy an do everything rite but i have to admit im already finding it very hard an i have to do this the rest of my life. i am looking forward to not feeling tierd all the time though an getting fit an healthy. im just trying to get my head around it all at the minute an understand about the foods im aloud an not aloud xxx
 
Hi Tracey, things will get easier as long as you stick with it - and you will be able to allow yourself some treats! You will find that, as you get used to your healthier diet and regime you will be feeling happier, fitter and much better able to cope with those things that might currently cause you a problem. With some things, like a Chinese meal, it might be a case of substituting certain things in the meal or limiting the portion size. For example, a home-cooked Chinese meal will contain far less sugar and fast-acting carbohydrate because you can choose to season it yourself and maybe choose good basmati rice over the higher GI (faster-acting) long grain rice used in restaurants and takeaways.

Drinks are OK as well - it's a case of 'everything in moderation' and finding out what works for you. If you stick to a good, regular exercise regime then your body will become much more insulin-sensitive and therefore better able to cope with the odd 'sin'.🙂 Stick with us and look forward to a brighter, healthier future! :D
 
SacredHeart said:
Erm, correct me if I'm wrong, please, but I'm sure it's 'the longer the grain the better' with rice? 🙂
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I was told by both nurse and dietician to avoid white long grain rice and eat Basmati or wholegrain rice. Anyone else got any info on this? :confused:
 
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